Deck 10: Wind: Global Systems

Question 1

The large thermally driven convection cell that is driven by convective "hot" towers along the equator is the

A) Ferrel cell.
B) Hadley cell.
C) Ekman spiral.
D) El Niño cell.

Answer 1

B

Question 2

On a surface weather map during the month of July,one would expect to find what type of pressure system over the desert southwest of the United States?

A) monsoon low
B) Pacific high
C) thermal low
D) Aleutian low

Answer 2

C

Question 3

At Barrow,Alaska (latitude 70 N),you would expect the prevailing wind to be

A) northerly.
B) easterly.
C) southerly.
D) westerly.

Answer 3

easterly.

Question 4

The position of the Pacific high over the North Pacific Ocean shifts ____ in winter and ____ in summer.

A) northward,southward
B) southward,northward
C) eastward,westward
D) westward,eastward

Question 5

A westerly wind means that the atmosphere

A) would act to decrease the rotation of the earth.
B) is moving faster than the earth spins.
C) is moving slower than the earth spins.
D) is moving as fast as the earth rotates.

Question 6

In terms of the three-cell model of the general circulation,areas of surface low pressure should be found at

A) the equator and the poles.
B) the equator and 30 latitude.
C) the equator and 60 latitude.
D) 30 latitude and 60 latitude.
E) 30 latitude and the poles.

Question 7

In terms of the three-cell general circulation model,the driest regions of the earth should be near

A) the equator and the polar regions.
B) the equator and 30 latitude.
C) the equator and 60 latitude.
D) 30 latitude and 60 latitude.
E) 30 latitude and the polar regions.

Question 8

In Honolulu,Hawaii (latitude 21 N),you would most likely experience winds blowing from the

A) northeast.
B) south.
C) southwest.
D) northwest.

Question 9

The majority of the United States lies within this wind belt:

A) westerlies
B) easterlies
C) northerlies
D) trades
E) southerlies

Question 10

The intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ)is a region where

A) the polar front meets the subtropical high.
B) northeast trades meet the southeast trades.
C) northeast trades converge with the subtropical high.
D) the Ferrel cell converges with the Hadley cell.
E) polar easterlies converge with the air at the doldrums.

Question 11

The world's deserts are found at 30 latitude because

A) the intertropical convergence zone is located there.
B) of the sinking air of the polar front.
C) of the convergence of the prevailing westerlies and the Northeast Trades.
D) of the sinking air of the subtropical highs.
E) of the doldrums.

Question 12

In the general circulation of the atmosphere,one would find the region called the doldrums

A) near 30 latitude.
B) at the equator.
C) at the poles.
D) near 60 latitude.

Question 13

According to the three-cell general circulation model,at the equator we would not expect to find

A) the ITCZ.
B) a ridge of high pressure.
C) cumuliform clouds.
D) light winds.
E) heavy showers.

Question 14

The wind belt observed on the poleward side of the polar front is called the

A) polar easterlies.
B) prevailing westerlies.
C) northeast trades.
D) doldrums.

Question 15

Air moving eastward more slowly than the earth rotates would appear to be ____ wind to an observer on the earth.

A) a counterclockwise
B) an east
C) an upward
D) a west

Question 16

On a weather map of the Northern Hemisphere,the trade winds would be observed

A) north of the polar front.
B) between the polar front and the subtropical highs.
C) south of the subtropical highs.
D) between the subpolar lows and the subtropical highs.

Question 17

On a weather map of the Northern Hemisphere,one would observe the westerlies

A) north of the subpolar lows.
B) south of the tropical highs.
C) between the doldrums and the horse latitudes.
D) between the subpolar lows and the subtropical highs.

Question 18

Generally,along the polar front,one would not expect to observe

A) temperatures on one side lower than on the other side.
B) an elongated region of lower pressure.
C) clouds and precipitation.
D) converging surface air.
E) sinking air aloft.

Question 19

Chicago,Illinois (latitude 42 N)is located in the

A) northeast trades.
B) southeast trades.
C) westerlies.
D) doldrums.

Question 20

Which below is not an assumption of the single-cell model of the general circulation of the atmosphere?

A) The earth's surface is covered with water.
B) The earth rotates once in 24 hours.
C) The sun is always overhead at the equator.
D) none of the above

Question 21

Many small-scale processes are ____ in General Circulation Models.

A) ignored
B) approximated
C) parameterized
D) both approximated and parameterized
E) none of the above

Question 22

The cold water observed along the northern California coast in summer is due mainly to

A) the California current.
B) oceanic fronts.
C) upwelling.
D) cold air moving over the water.
E) evaporation.

Question 23

At any given time,only one jet stream can be found in the atmosphere.

Question 24

The Ekman Spiral describes

A) the turning of water with depth.
B) the air flow into a center of low pressure.
C) the circulation of surface water around a gyre.
D) the air flow out of a region of high pressure.
E) the wind-flow pattern in a jet stream.

Question 25

The name given to the current of warm water that replaces cold surface water along the coast of Peru and Ecuador during December is

A) Brazil current.
B) Humbolt current.
C) Benguela current.
D) El Niño.

Question 26

The low-level jet that forms over the Central Plains of the United States appears to be responsible for

A) the influx of cold,polar air.
B) the development of El Niño.
C) the onset of a chinook.
D) the formation of a subtropical high pressure area.
E) nighttime thunderstorms.

Question 27

A thermally direct cell is one that

A) is found in both the northern and southern hemispheres.
B) involves heat.
C) occurs on both sides of a large lake or ocean.
D) is driven by energy from the sun.

Question 28

Which below does not describe the polar front jet stream?

A) is strongest in winter
B) moves farther south in winter
C) forms near the boundary called the polar front
D) is normally found at a higher elevation than the subtropical jet

Question 29

Upwelling is

A) the lifting of air along the polar front.
B) the rising of cold water from below.
C) increasing heights in an upper-level ridge.
D) the rising air motion found in a low pressure center.

Question 30

Generally,on an upper-level (100 mb)chart in the Northern Hemisphere during July,we would expect to find the tropical easterly jet stream

A) north of the polar front.
B) north of the upper-level subtropical high.
C) directly over the polar front.
D) south of the upper-level subtropical high.
E) in the upper stratosphere.

Question 31

The average winds aloft are strongest in

A) summer.
B) winter.
C) fall.
D) spring.

Question 32

The two ocean currents,warm and cold,that produce fog off the coast of Newfoundland are the

A) Gulf stream and Canary current.
B) Labrador current and Canary current.
C) Gulf stream and Labrador current.
D) North Atlantic Drift and Canary current.
E) North Atlantic Drift and Gulf stream.

Question 33

Which of the following does not describe the subtropical jet stream?

A) forms along the polar front
B) generally blows from west to east
C) is found at the tropopause
D) is normally equatorward of the polar front jet stream

Question 34

In the Northern Hemisphere,the polar jet stream is strongest when

A) air north of the polar front is much colder than air south of the polar front.
B) air north of the polar front is much warmer than air south of the polar front.
C) air temperatures on opposite sides of the polar front are about equal.
D) air temperatures on the East Coast of the US are much colder than on the West Coast of the U.S.

Question 35

In the Northern Hemisphere,air found to the north of the polar front is ____,while air further south is ____.

A) cold,warm
B) cold,cold
C) warm,cold
D) warm,warm

Question 36

During a major El Niño event,

A) Peruvian fishermen harvest a record amount of fish near Christmas time.
B) extensive ocean warming occurs over the tropical Pacific.
C) the Northeast trade winds increase in strength.
D) California experiences severe drought conditions.

Question 37

The jet stream flows

A) directly from west to east.
B) directly from east to west.
C) from the equator towards the poles.
D) in a wavy pattern from west to east.

Question 38

At jet streak is a place where ____ is (are)often found.

A) clear air turbulence
B) strong vertical wind speed shear
C) very strong winds
D) all of the above

Question 39

Upwelling occurs along the northern California coast because

A) winds cause surface waters to move away from the coast.
B) of seismic activity on the ocean bottom.
C) of gravitational attraction between the earth and the moon.
D) water flows from the Atlantic ocean into the Pacific because they are at different levels.

Question 40

As an air parcel aloft moves northward from the equator,it moves closer to the earth's axis of rotation.Because of the conservation of angular momentum,the air parcel's motion should

A) remain constant.
B) slow and eventually reverse direction.
C) slow but continue in the same direction.
D) increase in speed.

Question 41

If you had to build a bridge linking South America to Africa,at what latitude would you build it? Why?

Question 42

Briefly describe where each of the following features is found in the earth's general circulation.
horse latitudes trade winds ITCZ
polar front doldrums

Question 43

A jet stream transfers more heat across the globe when it is

A) zonal.
B) meridional.

Question 44

Satellites provide a global picture of winds by converting ____ into wind speed and direction.

A) wind shear
B) thermal turbulence
C) sea roughness
D) both wind shear and thermal turbulence

Question 45

Jet streams sometimes split into two branches.

Question 46

The reversal of the positions of surface high and low pressure at opposite ends of the Pacific Ocean is called

A) El Niño.
B) the Southern Oscillation.
C) upwelling.
D) La Niña.

Question 47

What meteorological conditions are typically associated with the ITCZ?

Question 48

Explain why the semipermanent lows in southern hemisphere are weaker than those in the northern hemisphere.

Question 49

On a large circle,show where the major pressure and wind belts would be found according to the 3-cell model of the earth's general circulation.

Question 50

What occurs during a major El Niño event? How might this affect global wind and precipitation patterns?

Question 51

Because clouds often block their view,instruments onboard satellite cannot regularly make observations of surface winds.

Question 52

The ultimate cause of jet streams is

A) the fact that water can exist in all three phases at once.
B) ultraviolet energy from the sun.
C) the energy imbalance between high and low latitudes.
D) all of the above

Question 53

The southern hemisphere has ____ semi-permanent lows than the northern hemisphere.

A) fewer
B) more

Question 54

Why is the single cell model of the general circulation not an accurate description of the actual circulation of the atmosphere?

Question 55

If the earth's surface was homogeneous (either all land or all water),

A) the semipermanent highs and lows would be stronger.
B) the semipermanent highs and lows would be weaker.
C) the semipermanent highs and lows would disappear altogether.
D) the semipermanent highs and lows wouldn't change in intensity.

Question 56

What is the polar jet stream and where is it found?

Question 57

Areas of rising air tend to be associated with ____ precipitation.

A) abundant
B) little

Question 58

What changes might you expect to see in the earth's general circulation if the earth's rotation were in the opposite direction?

Question 59

How do jet streams form?

Question 60

A condition where the central and eastern tropical Pacific Ocean turns cooler than normal is called

A) El Niño.
B) La Niña.
C) the Southern Oscillation.
D) the Ekman Spiral.

Question 61

How does El Niño change the weather where you live?

Question 62

Explain why large high and low pressure systems don't move from east-to-west across the continental United States.

Question 63

Describe at least two important ways that the ocean interacts with large-scale atmospheric wind systems.

Question 64

Does the position of the polar jet stream change during the year? If so,how and why?

Question 65

What features in the earth's general circulation help determine where the driest and wettest places on earth are found?